BBL Season 14 (2024-25): Hobart Hurricanes Win Maiden Title, Mitchell Owen's 39-Ball Century Makes History

Hobart Hurricanes won the Big Bash League for the first time in their history on 27 January 2025, demolishing Sydney Thunder by 7 wickets at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. Chasing 183 to win, the Hurricanes knocked off the target in just 14.1 overs — with 35 balls remaining — thanks to Mitchell Owen's 108 off 42 balls, which equalled Craig Simmons' record for the fastest century in BBL final history (39 balls). The victory gave Tasmania's cricket-mad community their maiden BBL title and completed a remarkable summer for Hobart cricket: the WBBL had also been won by Hobart Hurricanes women six weeks earlier.

Mitchell Owen: 108 Off 42 Balls With 11 Sixes

Mitchell Owen's century in the BBL Season 14 final is one of the most destructive innings ever played in a Big Bash League match. His 108 off 42 balls included 11 sixes — at times reducing the Sydney Thunder attack to helplessness as ball after ball cleared the boundary at Bellerive Oval. His century came off 39 balls, equalling Craig Simmons' 2014 record for the fastest hundred in BBL history. Owen's 452 runs across the season (the highest by any batter in BBL 2024-25) confirmed him as the competition's dominant batting presence. His performance in the final — from a player still in the early stages of international consideration — was the defining moment of the BBL 14 season.

The Chase: Highest Successful Run Chase in a BBL Final

The Hurricanes' chase of 183 in the final was the highest successful chase in any BBL final, surpassing the 177 set by the Sydney Thunder in the 2016 final. The previous BBL 14 record for a successful run chase in a final had stood for nine years — Hobart broke it comfortably and with authority. Sydney Thunder posted 182/7 in their 20 overs, a competitive total on most BBL grounds. At Bellerive Oval, in front of a home crowd, and with Owen at the crease from the first over, the Hurricanes made it look routine.

Season Awards: Behrendorff, Connolly, Maxwell

Jason Behrendorff (Perth Scorchers) was BBL Season 14's leading wicket-taker with 17 wickets — a significant individual achievement in a season where the Scorchers did not reach the final despite having the competition's best bowling. The Player of the Tournament award was jointly shared by Cooper Connolly (Perth Scorchers) and Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars), reflecting the difficulty of identifying a single dominant individual performer in a competition where the Hurricanes' team effort was the story of the season. Maxwell's inclusion was notable given that Melbourne Stars did not have a strong campaign in the overall competition.

Hobart Hurricanes: BBL's Longest Wait for a Title

Hobart Hurricanes competed in 14 BBL seasons before winning in Season 14 — making them the last of the original eight BBL franchises to claim a title. In a competition where Sydney Sixers (4 titles), Perth Scorchers (5 titles), and Melbourne Renegades, Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Strikers, and Melbourne Stars had all won at least one title, the Hurricanes' absence from the winner's list had grown increasingly notable. Their triumph in Season 14 completed the set — every original BBL franchise has now won at least one championship.